Book Review: The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier
***BOOK REVIEW***
The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier
(Warrior Bards #1)
A young woman is both a bard--and a warrior--in this thrilling historical fantasy from the author of the Sevenwaters novels.
This is my first Juliet Marillier book and I was hooked from the start. This character driven plot is developed so nicely and I thoroughly enjoyed the magic, lore, slow-burn and storytelling. Strong and complex characters and heroines are important to me and Marillier definitely nailed that. I enjoyed the slow-burn of the developing relationships and am looking forward to seeing what happens. I think Marillier will still have some surprises in store for us readers in the next books. This was written from multiple points of view but it was done well and added to the story. This book is the first in a new series, it is in the same world as the Blackthorn and Grimm series but you don’t have to have read that to read this one. I highly recommend this book! ★★★★.5
Thank you Macmillan Australia for providing me with a finished copy of this book in return for an independent review.
See below for synopsis:
Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart, and a rare talent on the harp. But Liobhan's burning ambition is to join the elite warrior band on Swan Island. She and her brother train there to compete for places, and find themselves joining a mission while still candidates. Their unusual blend of skills makes them ideal for this particular job, which requires going undercover as traveling minstrels. For Swan Island trains both warriors and spies.
Their mission: to find and retrieve a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship, which has gone mysteriously missing. If the instrument is not played at the upcoming coronation, the candidate will not be accepted and the people could revolt. Faced with plotting courtiers and tight-lipped druids, an insightful storyteller, and a boorish Crown Prince, Liobhan soon realizes an Otherworld power may be meddling in the affairs of the kingdom. When ambition clashes with conscience, Liobhan must make a bold decision and is faced with a heartbreaking choice. . .